Vampire Vignettes
by OrionTitley
Summary: A series of vignettes relating to the story Careful what you ask for. No particular order of upload. From different characters' viewpoints.
1. Sword Practice

Merrick walked into the training hall. He noted the succubus girl and Moka were watching Tsukune training with Apollo's Valkyrie, Eris, her long, sky blue hair tied back, her emerald eyes blazing with a green fire. 'So many choices, practically a buffet,' he thought to himself. After a moment he chided himself. 'Don't think like that.' He stood off to the side and watched as Eris moved through several forms with a swiftness and fluidity he admired.

'I can admire, not that Shade would mind much,' he found his thoughts drifting back to the arch succubus that owned Devil's Little Angels. There was something about her that reminded him of a time long lost. The Valkyrie watched as Tsukune moved. It had been two weeks. The boy was getting better, better than many that were alive today, but it was nowhere near enough. He could tell just how much the Valkyrie was holding back in practice. Too much. She was an excellent teacher, but she held back too much, afraid to harm a person The Harbinger considered family.

'It would feel so good to have a good spar,' Merrick thought. He walked back to his room and grabbed his sword. He pulled it from the sheathe, checking its weight and edge before belting it on and returning to the dojo. They were still at it, Tsukune occasionally making a mistake, Eris checking him and working with him to fix it.

Realizing the boy needed something more, he returned to his room and grabbed something from one of his chests. 'This will be exactly what he needs.'

Tsukune turned as Merrick tossed a bottle at him. He caught it and puzzled at it.

"It's a refreshing beverage. Drink it, take a break." The demon started undoing his shirt, the runes on his skin pitch black, almost absorbing the light in the room. "Eris. I want to see how good you really are. Ready to take on a 'Mewling Kitten' of a demon as you said earlier?"

The Valkyrie stiffened at the comment. This demon had tried killing her master, she would return the favor. She drew her scimitar from her waist and took stance, her left side facing him, blade in her right, held above her head and curving wickedly downwards.

Tsukune took a long draught from the bottle as he sat down. Realizing it was blood, he quickly finished it, feeling the inherent power fill him, change him. He started seeing more suddenly. He could see the very twitches of the muscles in the fighters. He knew Merrick was going to teach him more in the next few minutes than Eris had taught him in a week. He felt a presence behind him, looking up, he saw Apollo and Ruby standing over him. Apollo knelt down and whispered to him, "Witches blood. One of the reasons they're so damn smart is their ability to perceive, remember and translate that into action."

Merrick drew his bastard sword, enchanted to be able to withstand the forces he and any enemy would be placing it in. He took the blade in one hand and held it off to the side, with his other he signaled he was ready.

Eris charged in with a wicked upwards slash from the blade, deflected with a quick overhanded switch with the bastard sword. Eris spun in the opposite direction, Merrick responding with a strong block, then flipped the sword around his back, catching it in his left hand and continuing with an uppercut of his own. Eris blocked by slamming her blade downward and slipped in with her fist, striking Merrick in the gut, sending him back several feet.

He quickly stabilized himself and flashed a white-toothed grin, a red tint covering his eyes. Eris met his gaze with a steely determination, her long blue hair whipping around behind her. She closed her eyes and drew forth her true form, large ethereal wings, feathered like an eagles, sprouted behind her, she brought her blade up. Merrick matched her and slid forth, the runes on his body starting to slowly shift.

He ducked under a high slash and spun around, his blade clipping her armor, but failing to draw blood. She kicked at him as she brought her blade around with her left, catching it in her right and slashing across his body. He deflected under with his hand, managing not to draw any blood and thrust at her. She somehow managed to bring her blade around to parry, but could not deflect it completely, the bare edge of his blade nicked her cheek, drawing forth a small trickle of blood.

Eris raged at this and brought her blade back up and towards his chest, the angle making it impossible to dodge or block… or so she thought. He bent backwards, just in time that the blade drew lightly up his sternum. He reached up and deflected her blade a scant moment later, spinning around, bringing his blade whipping around, it stopped just before her neck, touching skin, but not breaking. He smiled as he looked down and found her blade ready to arc upwards through his skull. Her blade was buried a bit deeper, a small bead of blood dropping from his chin.

He brought his hand across in a flash and her sword was out to her side. She continued with the spin he started and brought her slash around to find his blade blocking her strike. He dove forward and drove the pommel into her side, knocking her back a dozen feet. She jumped high and spun through the air, her blade flashing around her.

He brought his blade around and backed off. He started swinging his blade faster than most eyes could see save for Tsukune, Ruby and Apollo. He was quickly matched by Eris, blow for blow, a hundred times a minute, faster, harder they went. Upswing met backslash, overhead cleave met a crossbar block, a quick thrust met by a spin slash. Hundreds of moves were laid out before him. Tsukune watched in amazement as time seemed to slow around them.

Without noticing, he was memorizing their every movement, his brain calculating where their next strikes would land milliseconds before they landed. He was translating how each offensive move would be blocked by a hundred different defensive moves, and vice versa. Suddenly, a flourish from Merrick took his attention, the two broke off, spun and thrust at each other, their blade tips touched as a massive wave of power was released. Everything stopped.

Eris's eyes widened. She backed off in tandem with Merrick, bowed to him as he bowed to her, turned and stalked off past Apollo. As soon as the door closed, The Harbinger burst out laughing. He walked over to the demon lord, his wounds quickly starting to heal, and clapped him on the back, "Been a long time since she's been beaten at her own game Merrick."

"I can tell," Merrick said softly as he looked to Tsukune.

"Beaten? That was as clear a draw as I've ever seen," Moka interjected.

"No, it wasn't," Tsukune answered. "Merrick was holding back."

"What? That was the best sword play I've ever seen! How could he have been holding back?"

"Merrick is different from a true immortal like you or me or even Eris," Apollo answered. They heard a door slam, quickly noting that Merrick had left. Apollo sighed before continuing, "Merrick has lived as many lives as I have years, and that is just since the last cycle change. This is the fourth cycle the earth has seen. Merrick has seen the previous three as well as being a demon from before the earth had been created."

"That means-" Moka started before being cut off.

"He remembers many, if not all of his lives, and the skills he picked up in them. They have amalgamated into a skill with the blade few can ever hope to attain," Ruby finished. "I hope you were paying attention Tsukune. I know you saw what I did. In those few minutes, I could slaughter an army with those techniques I saw."

"The two best swordsmen alive. Well, swordswoman in Eris's case," Kurumu commented dryly. She shook her head as she turned and walked out the door.


	2. Moonlight over the Mountains

The wind was cold on Tsukune's skin. The night was filled with a waning full moon, its shadows dancing across the snow. It was a day past its greatest strength, a day past its fullest beauty. Thoughts ran wild through the young shinso's mind. Thoughts of his wife and her trial. Thoughts of his plans. Thoughts of his friends. Thoughts of Akasha.

That last topic was taking up more of his mind than he liked. He kept thinking back to that night, how easily he had let his mind leave Moka. That night was the reason he was able to forgive Gin, even how he let Moka go. It was easy to let go once you let yourself forget. The conversation he had with Akasha after saving Moka's life flashed back to him now;

"_Tsukune, what is it you plan to do on the morrow?" Akasha was covered by naught by a heavy sheet. She draper her arm over her new lover and pulled tight against him._

"_I plan to do what is right, for both Moka and myself. I plan to ask for my bond to be absolved."_

_Akasha drew a sharp breath. "Are you certain this is wise? It may do more harm than good."_

_Tsukune rolled on his side to look her in the eye. "This is not the daughter you raised, nor the one I fell in love with, anymore. I don't know if they are still actually in there. This may not be the easiest, or necessarily the smartest course. It is, however, the right one. Moka needs to have an unbiased experience in the world. The knowledge that our bond is still between us may cause more harm than good. Even if she refuses to allow our bond to be absolved, I need it suspeneded."_

"_It's because of the other girls, your friends, isn't it?" Her emerald eyes flashed in the darkness of the room, they blurred the edge of caring and danger._

"_I know you love your daughter Akasha. But there are others I must help for now. I have the chance to fix lives that would otherwise not be fulfilled."_

"_What about the Succubus?"_

"_Kurumu? If she will have me, I will become her destined one."_

_Akasha's eyes burned as he said these words. She sat up in bed suddenly, no longer able to hold his gaze. "You would forsake my daughter to do the same things she did to you?"_

"_This coming from the woman who slept with her daughter's husband. Twice. __**After**__ the worst had been done."_

"_How dare you judge me." She spun and whipped her arm around, intending to slap him. The hit never connected. Tsukune caught it and pulled her close with it._

"_I still love your daughter, Akasha Bloodriver, however, why can't she find another that she loves as well. Someone who will make her as happy as I did." In that moment, the Queen of Vampires was no longer on her pedestal. She could feel it. This young boy had cornered her. Had moved steadily forward with things and completely disarmed her with a simple statement. He didn't intend to hurt her daughter, but to give her another chance at life._

"_Why did you choose the seventh trial?"_

"_It was the only one that allowed me, arguably the person who knows her best, to judge how she changes alone. At the end of the year, regardless of what happens, Moka will come out of this unharmed, save for what she does to herself. She is in control of her own fate now. However, if she finds happiness elsewhere, I will not be the one to stop her."_

"_Why then, did you sleep with me?"_

"_I would be lying if I said it wasn't to find a distraction," Akasha started to look hurt, "at first. I came back to you because I want something more."_

"_Who says you can have this?" She smiled slyly._

"_Well, I'm pretty sure I wasn't the one screaming, '__**Take me Tsukune, take me!**__'" He smiled a toothy grin as she grabbed a pillow and hit him with it. He fell over, in mock wound, making her laugh. It sounded like an angel to him. Though, one different from either-any now- side of his wife._

The thought stopped as he heard sounds of a nearby village. He could see a soft glow coming over one of the ridges of snow. He knew Mizore sat somewhere there. Right now, he wanted her; for now, simply as an old friend.

A friend whom he believed could help him.


	3. Till I Collapse

Blood had stained every inch of his body.

_Sometimes you just feel tired, you feel weak._

Tsukune looked around him. Bodies littered the ground around him and behind him.

_And when you feel weak, you feel like you just wanna give up._

Ahead of him, roiling masses drew steadily forward. Some were tiny, no bigger than his forearm, but others were the size of large houses.

_But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength and just pull that shit out of you_

He looked down at his clenched fist. He hated killing. A senseless massacre was what this has been, and would turn out to be.

_And get that motivation to not give up and not be a quitter no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face._

He looked back up to the beings flowing towards him. He was lost, in a place unknown to him. He was tired. He had been fighting, 'How long has it been?' he asked himself, 'days, weeks? I guess it doesn't matter. All that matters is that I get home.' Tsukune allowed his rage to fill him. There was no reason to control it now. The shinso blood flowing through his veins roared to life. His wings expanded, his tail lengthened, his horns sharpened, his talons clenched. He shot forth into the fray.

_Till the smoke clears out, am I high? Perhaps… imma rip this shit till my bones collapse_

His claws tore into the flesh of the beasts surrounding him. Energies lashed from his body from instinct, felling dozens with each strike. His wings moved like the reaper's scythe, felling each beast unlucky enough to find themselves in the path. He ripped the throats of dozens, drinking a bit of their blood each time.

_This is your moment and every single minute you spend trying to hold onto it cause you may never get it again._

Memories from another time flooded his mind as he fought. Memories of his friends, Kurumu, Yukari, Mizore, Ruby. Each of them came into his life as enemies, each looking to use him or destroy him. Another set of memories, them vacationing together, them smiling and laughing, not because of him, but because of each other. He helped show them a world where kindness, forgiveness and love were stronger than anything. And together, they had prevailed over all so far.

_Till the roof comes off, till the lights go out, till my legs give out, shut my mouth, Till the smoke clears out, am I high? Perhaps… imma rip this shit till my bones collapse._

A constant stream of blood flew from his hands. Thousands were dying in droves. He hated this. He hated everything that had caused this. All things evil; pain, jealousy, fear, hatred, had brought him to this point.

**Let go.**

_Until the roof (the roof comes off) the roof comes off _

Something harmonized inside him. Something that had been only alluded to until this moment.

"Moka," her name slipped past his lips. He could still feel it now, the love she, all parts of her, still had for him. He stopped in his tracks as eldritch power formed around him. As he looked up, he noticed not the monsters and blood surrounding him, but a thin red line stretching straight from him to the sky. She was on the other end.

The power exploded around him.

_(until my legs) Until my legs give out from underneath me. I, I will not fall, I will stand tall,_

A pair of beings stood from the devastation surrounding Tsukune. They went unnoticed by him.

"He is ready," Merrick said quietly.

"Indeed. However, we must not intervene now," Apollo answered.

"He shall have to find his own way home. I only hope he does."

_Feels like no one could beat me._

Tsukune allowed his power to abate. His clothes were shredded, he was covered in blood. All that mattered was that he return home as quickly as he could.

* * *

**a/n. this was written while listening to Till I Collapse by Eminem. I don't own any rights to his music. Hope you enjoyed. Try listening to this song as you read it. Reads way better that way XD**


	4. The Fall of The Harbinger

A sharp breath came to him. Slowly, the blackness that had taken him faded into light. He could see the walls of The Pit. The smell of blood filled his senses. He quickly stood. He caught himself as he did, 'What is happening. I-I should be dead…'' His hands reached up to his neck. All they felt was smooth, unbroken skin. He remembered the executioner's blade falling upon him. He remembered the pain. 'I should be dead…'

Slowly, he regained his senses. He looked around and found the bodies of dozens. Heads still formed in the stone of their sealed states sat apart from the bodies. Some were broken, almost all had cracked. One stood out in particular. The face was unmistakable. Her soft features were present, though twisted in a grimace. The once great empress of the Harbingers lay dead, convicted as a traitor simply because she was of Apollo's blood.

'Sister, I hope you can forgive me. Your death was due to my mistakes.' After several minutes, he stood from his reverie and flew from the place he had died.

* * *

Apollo reached the cliffs outside the Vampire's sanctuary. He quickly hid amongst an outcropping of stones, his grey skin blending perfectly with the ashen tones of the boulders. He surveyed the walls of the sanctuary. There were dozens of guards posted outside the main gates. They were obviously waiting for something, 'or someone.' As he looked with his eyeglass, he spotted a small movement. He lost it, but after several minutes, found it again. It was a person walking along the Cliffside. He could just barely see it was a woman. Pink hair stuck out her hood.

"Claudia…" he jumped from his hiding spot, keeping low to the dunes, hoping the guards would fail to notice him. As he drew closer, he saw her walk directly towards the cliffs. The overhang stood hundreds of feet over water.

"**CLAUDIA!**" he screamed, to her, but it was drowned out by a sudden gust of wind. He kept yelling for her, running at top speed, but she never stopped. He watched as she plummeted. He quickly dove in after her. The wind from his descent filled his ears. She had already hit the water. The fall was taking too long. The water felt like a slab of stone to him. He recovered quickly, swimming downwards. In the depths, he could see a faint sparking. He dove for her. Wrapping his arms around her, he kicked upwards. Light was breaking through the darkness of the waters. He broke the surface and drew a pained breath.

Dragging himself and Claudia ashore, he laid her down. Her body was still sparking. She was weak.

"Claudia, c-can you hear me?" he ran a hand along her cheek wiping her pink hair out of her face, tears streamed from his eyes. Her blood red eyes fluttered. A moment of recognition, a mumbled word. She reached up and touched his face, wiping a tear from his face.

Her hand fell, her eyes closed. Her breath escaped one last time.

He watched as he felt her die. He could feel the connection from the Blood Rites wither and fall apart. In that moment, his world collapsed.

Darkness flooded him. Pain enveloped him. He couldn't breathe. His chest felt like it was caving in, trying to destroy him by destroying his heart. He fought, raged against it, until finally he couldn't bear it any longer.

He shifted into his true form. His wings grew larger and heavier. His tail lengthened, grew heavier and spiked at the end. His maw extended and grew dagger like teeth, his eyes sunk inwards as a spine ridden sail erupted from his back. His arms became massive and clawed. He roared as the pain enveloped him.

His once amber eyes flooded with the blood powers of the Shinso Vampires.

His dual bloods- the blood of the Harbingers he had been born with and the blood of the Shinso Vampires he had been given by his love- raged inside the broken man. His Harbinger blood raged at the loss of his love, a feeling bred through countless generations of his people. The Shinso blood was anger incarnate. It fed off of the pain of his true blood and fortified it for what was coming.

It was preparing him for the deaths of all those who would try to stop him. He would have his revenge. He once had the world, a powerful position in his society, the ear of the empress and a woman he loved. His position had been taken, the empress beheaded, the woman he loved, stolen from him. His fall from grace had already begun. He would see it through to the end.


End file.
